Month: January 2017

Whether you are looking at buying or selling a property, it is always advisable to work with a very good realtor. Many of us know people who work in real estate, but they may not be the best ones to represent your needs. The following two questions are things you need to ask in order to pick the best realtor for your needs.

First, you need to look into your realtor’s experience. The more experience they have, the better they are likely to be. If you find someone who was operating before the financial crisis and is still in business today, you are on to a really good one. You do have to ensure they have experience that is relevant to your personal needs. For example, if you are trying to become a property investor, your needs will be very different than if you are looking to downsize after retirement. Secondly, you need to find out how your realtor can help you in terms of your demographic and geographical needs. For instance, if you want to purchase a farm, you need someone who has the right contacts to look into the condition of the land, previous production methods and the homestead itself. If, however, your interests lie in historic or listed buildings, you will need a very different type of realtor.

Besides experience, you also need to look into reputation. Many realtors have a very bad name, and for good reason. Thankfully, there are also a number of tools that you can use to find the good ones. Don’t forget to go to the Better Business Bureau website to find out how well a certain realtor has performed in the past. You can also use social media to your advantage. It is very difficult to censor anything that appears on social media, meaning you can easily get your hands on honest reviews. Make sure you also speak to people you know and find out whether they have an opinion on the matter. If you do hear a complaint, however, make sure you find out whether that is a relevant complaint to you, and how the realtor reacted in response to the complaint.

If you are selling, you are likely to have to sign an exclusive realtor agreement. This is a common procedure but it does not mean you lose any rights. If, for instance, you feel that the representation you are receiving is not proper, you able to terminate the contract. The contract stops you from enlisting the services of a different agent at the same time, but is otherwise non-restrictive. Buyers, on the other hand, usually do not have to sign these contracts. However, there is a changing facing in the world and many now ask their buying clients to sign a contract as well. The final thing you must look into is how your realtor earns their living. Realtors can earn their money in a variety of different ways. Although there are a few realtors who charge a flat fee, the majority of them will work on commission. You need to work out which of the two constructions your realtor will use before you agree to work with them.